While eating a gluten-free diet can be life changing for people who have certain conditions, it can be less meaningful for others. Gluten-free is an ever expanding movement in the natural health community. There are some good reasons for this and some bad reasons. Eating gluten-free can save a person’s life, seriously. A person with Celiac Disease must follow this diet to save their own life and prevent serious diseases down the road. This is the reason why the gluten-free movement has evolved into what it is today. There seems to be some serious confusion on why people choose this diet. For a Celiac sufferer, it is not a choice.

Personally, I am not diagnosed with Celiac disease. Natural health and nutrition is my life (obviously!) so I am pretty in tune with my body. I’ve experimented with hundreds of different diets and put a lot of thought and energy into understanding how I feel when I eat a certain way. Out of all this experience I found that I react to gluten. Can this be reversed? Maybe, maybe not. What I do know is that I am considered non-celiac gluten sensitive. Research is still being done on this condition, some studies have even shown that this is not a real thing but being a person of this group I beg to differ. I’ll tell you a story…

With Celiac Disease on the rise, and a growing intolerance to gluten, there are more and more people who are avoiding wheat. This expanding movement has created a whole new industry for gluten-free foods. Anyone who has gone to a grocery store in the last couple of years has seen the influx of new gluten-free products on a monthly basis. People with Celiac Disease often seek out gluten-free alternatives that are wheat-like in taste and texture and food companies have picked up on it.

So here’s why this isn’t always a good thing…

Did you know that, according to the American Diabetes Association, an estimated 10% of people with type 1 diabetes also have Celiac disease? Celiac disease is a digestive disorder caused by an intolerance to gluten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, and a few other common grains. The fact that there is a good number of people with both of these conditions shows that there is a strong link between Type 1 diabetes and gluten intolerance. This number does not even include people with gluten intolerance or people who have not been diagnosed with Celiac Disease yet which means that an even larger percentage of type 1 diabetics are likely experiencing symptoms of gluten sensitivity.

Hand made gifts are always extra special. This cookie mix is easy enough for a small child to help make and they can even decorate the jar or the card to go with it. A lot of people on our gift list have different diet restrictions so it is sometimes challenging to find a recipe that fits our needs. Since this cookie mix is gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, sugar-free, and soy-free it was a winner for anyone on our list.

This cookie recipe is not only delicious but super healthy since it contains ground flax seeds and coconut oil for lots of healthy fats. It also has no sugar since the sweetener it calls for is maple syrup. It’s a great gift for children, parents, and anyone who is health conscious but still likes a healthy treat. I also like to give this gift to anyone who may have recently found out they need to avoid one of these allergens and is just learning about allergy-free cooking. This is a great way to show your friends and family that healthy eating can also be delicious.